‘Every measure’ will be taken to contain Covid-19, says government

Government spokesman Stelios Petsas on Thursday said that the authorities will take “every measure” to contain the spread of the new coronavirus “before it becomes necessary,” but also urged citizens to act responsibly as well.

“The biggest challenge still lies ahead, and that will be large numbers of vulnerable and elderly people needing to be treated in intensive care,” Petsas told a morning television program on Thursday, after the Health Ministry confirmed the country’s first Covid-19 death, a 66-year-old man who was infected during a religious pilgrimage to Egypt and Israel last month.

“This is why we are telling everyone to take preventive measures, to stay home if they have any symptoms, and to be scrupulous about personal hygiene and sanitation, so that we can overcome the problem all together,” Petsas said

“If we don’t take personal responsibility, we will be faced with difficult developments regardless of the efforts we make,” he added, echoing the remarks of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during a public address on Wednesday night.